Mom keeps kid home to watch Obama speech

CAPE CORAL: Most students throughout Southwest Florida did not watch the president's speech Tuesday afternoon. But at least one mom took her son's lesson plan into her own hands and kept him home to watch the address live.

President Barack Obama spoke to students throughout the country Tuesday about the importance of staying in school and working hard.

The address, which lasted roughly 20 minutes, was not shown inside Lee County schools. But Jacqui Hawkins made sure her son caught the speech.

"I decided to make a day out of it and keep my son home and go over the suggestions for lesson plans with my child and watch the speech," she said.

Her son, Adam Hawkins, is a seventh grader at Trafalgar Middle School. He says he can apply what President Obama said to his own life.

"I am inspired by him and I think it's just wonderful that he can speak to all these students," Adam said.

Jacqui explained when she found out Lee County Schools would be recording the speech and deciding later whether to show it, she wrote the school board asking members to reconsider.

Lee County School Board member Steven Teuber wrote her back, saying if it meets the requirements that support the Sunshine State standards, the speech would be made available for teachers to check out.

"I just though that I was a lame excuse because there are school districts across the state of Florida that are showing the interview live," said Jacqui.

Collier County Schools did not show the speech either and the Charlotte County School District left it up to teachers.

But for the students that did watch, a very simple and non-political message seemed to resonate.

"I think he wants us to do the best that we can and try our hardest every single time," said Adam Hawkins.